Taking some dangerous steps. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most hazardous, physically strenuous, and/or politically consequential dances.
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00:00Dancing is not only being on stage and performing, but it's telling a story.
00:04And by telling a story, you change the world.
00:07Welcome to Ms Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:12hazardous, physically strenuous, and or politically consequential dances.
00:18Dance! Dance until you die!
00:21We won't, however, include any neurological conditions
00:24like those that fall under the moniker of St Vitus Dance.
00:29Number 10, Sayor Sabanko, the Philippines.
00:33There's a wealth of culturally significant dance styles within the Philippines.
00:37The partner dance known as Sayor Sabanko is one of them.
00:51It translates to dance on a bench, as a bench is intrinsic to its execution.
00:57It requires participants to retain their balance,
01:00since the bench is often altered during the performance.
01:16It could be raised up higher or have accoutrements attached to it,
01:20causing it to become more dangerous and difficult.
01:23The key here, obviously, is not to fall off.
01:27Doing so might result in some major injury, depending on the height of the bench.
01:39Number 9, Pole Dancing, Various.
01:54The art of pole dancing isn't solely limited to the world of adult entertainment.
02:00This is despite many of the styles' common associations with eroticism and sensuality.
02:15Many gymnasiums around the world offer classes in pole dancing
02:19as a part of their fitness routines.
02:22Immense core strength and agility is required to execute those pole dancing moves
02:27you may have snickered at while watching Showgirls.
02:30There's still danger at play, however,
02:33most obviously due to the possibility of falling off the pole.
02:37Aside from this, pole dancing is also an intense aerobic workout.
02:42It's not recommended for those with cardiovascular issues
02:45or individuals who frequently experience shortness of breath.
02:51Core stability is coordinated with some ninja-level pulling strength
02:54to hold our body weight off the floor.
02:56Number 8, Breakdancing, US.
03:07It speaks volumes that the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris
03:11added breakdancing as an official event.
03:14This didn't just add legitimacy to this long-standing cultural cornerstone,
03:19it also thrust breakdancing's connections to hip-hop culture onto the world stage.
03:24Break-in is a form of dance that requires a lot of physical coordination
03:28and total body fitness.
03:44The body gyrations and balancing acts aren't for the faint of heart.
03:48Breakdancing's origins trace back to early 80s soul, funk and electro music.
03:54This is a fun style of dance that, for some, can take a lifetime to master.
04:10Number 7, Swingdancing, US.
04:19This thing might turn into something.
04:22I'm mistaken, here comes something now.
04:24Viewers of a certain age might just remember the swing revival of the 1990s.
04:30This was an era influenced by the 1996 film Swingers,
04:34an artist like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
04:38The origins of swing date back decades further, however.
04:42Historically, the dance style is more closely tied to jazz and big band music than rockabilly.
04:47Many different dance crazes came out of the swing era,
04:50including the jitterbug and the lindy hop.
04:52Both modern and classic swing dancing often retain one commonality, however,
04:57and that's physicality.
04:59Partnership between the dance and the swing,
05:02It's incredibly fun to watch, but also dangerous if your partner drops you.
05:07Let me flip you.
05:08No way.
05:09Come on.
05:10You are not flipping me.
05:11Fine.
05:12Fine.
05:13You flip me.
05:14No need.
05:15You've already flipped.
05:16One cartwheel.
05:17Silence.
05:18Number 6, Ballet, Various.
05:20It's a great art form, but it's strenuous on your body.
05:23When you're jumping, it's hard to keep your balance.
05:27The fine art of ballet is performed all over the world,
05:30but its heart and soul arguably belongs to Russia.
05:33This is a style of dance that often demands total concentration and perfection
05:38from those who want to be the best at their craft.
05:41Can I have supper?
05:43I'm busy.
05:44I'm busy.
05:45I'm busy.
05:46I'm busy.
05:47I'm busy.
05:48I'm busy.
05:49I'm busy.
05:50I'm busy.
05:51I'm busy.
05:52I'm busy.
05:53I'm busy.
05:54I'm busy.
05:55I'm busy.
06:01After supper?
06:02Bed.
06:03Films such as Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan
06:06have embraced this legacy with dramatic effect.
06:09There's no denying the toll ballet takes on its dancers.
06:13These individuals soar to great heights with feet of steel.
06:18It tends to be a graceful flight that's nevertheless born from pain,
06:23struggle, and bittersweet endurance.
06:26It's something that takes a lot of practice and strength
06:29and years of work, so when you get that perfect balance
06:35or perfect arabesque, it just feels amazing.
06:41Number five, Atilogu, Nigeria.
06:44The world of traditional ethnic dances is culturally rich
06:48and fascinating to research.
06:50Nigeria's Igbo people have a youth dance known as Atilogu.
06:55This is a word from the Igbo language
06:57that possesses a fantastical and magical connotation.
07:07Atilogu is a group dance characterized by energetic and rhythmic movements,
07:12including impressive physical feats and formations.
07:16The sight is one that outsiders won't soon forget,
07:19as the Igbo collaborate with one complex, connective move after another.
07:24Practitioners of Atilogu start young, too.
07:27The dance requires physical strength, dexterity, and concentration.
07:44Number four, queer dance parties, Zarius.
07:47Tonight, you're going to have a good time.
07:49You are going to have a fabulous time.
07:51You're going to meet the family.
07:53Come on, let's get you some communion.
07:54The term queer dance party isn't really an official designation,
07:58but rather an umbrella term for gatherings of LGBTQIA plus communities.
08:04These have traditionally included everything from the tea dances
08:08in the 50s and 60s to circuit parties in the 70s.
08:11During times when serving alcohol to LGBTQIA plus individuals
08:16was illegal, covert dance gatherings, often frequented by gay men,
08:20carried significant risks.
08:22The danger stemmed from the hatred and bigotry
08:25of those who sought to disrupt such gatherings.
08:34Nowadays, it might be hard to imagine violence breaking out
08:37over seemingly harmless activities like voguing or a death drop.
08:42With history in mind, it's crucial to understand
08:45that dancing freely can also serve as a powerful political statement.
08:50When you can take anything that comes from you
08:53and gives you a certain amount of being comfortable in your own skin,
08:57I think that's great, you know, and that is empowerment.
09:00Number three, Toy Toy, South Africa.
09:03This is a dance of protest.
09:06Specifically, the Toy Toy grew to international prominence
09:10during the apartheid era in South Africa.
09:15The intent here was to agitate, to shake up the confidence
09:25and command presence of South African police that were enforcing apartheid law.
09:30Thus, the Toy Toy was, by definition, quite dangerous.
09:34It was also often improvised and could consist of yelling, stomping
09:47and singing made-up songs, all with revolution on the mind.
09:51Toy Toy is still used in South Africa today,
09:54primarily as a means of political protest against any sort of perceived injustice.
10:01Number two, dancing without a headscarf, Iran.
10:05Many of us probably take for granted that popular turn of phrase,
10:09dance like nobody's watching.
10:11But what if someone was watching and arrested you after you were simply dancing?
10:16She's not wearing the headscarf in the video
10:18and she was accused of all sorts of things,
10:20from indecency to encouraging people to act indecently.
10:23In 2018, a young woman named Maida Hojabi was arrested
10:28after being seen dancing without her hijab.
10:31Afterwards, Iranian women shared supportive social media messages
10:35and danced in solidarity with Hojabi.
10:38Dancing in front of men, dancing in front of crowds,
10:40in support of that young teenager, calling for the rules to be changed
10:44and this action not to be taken against teenagers.
10:47This call for social justice resonated in the aftermath of the arrest.
10:51Iranian news outlets aired what was apparently a confession of Hojabi's behalf.
10:56But the reverberations of what occurred back in 2018 continue to echo to this day.
11:02Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
11:07Step dancing, Ireland.
11:09River dancing is hard on the feet.
11:12Capoeira, Brazil.
11:14Part dance, part martial arts.
11:35Aerial dancing, US.
11:37Aerial dancing, US.
11:39Mid-flight manoeuvring in the danger zone.
12:07All of them.
12:08If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
12:14Depression-era dancing, US.
12:21The 1969 Sidney Pollock film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?,
12:26dramatised what's commonly known as a simple dance contest or marathon.
12:31These marathons, by definition, aren't necessarily dangerous.
12:35After all, contestants can willingly stop whenever they feel they've achieved their physical limits.
12:40However, the Depression-era setting of They Shoot Horses, Don't They?,
12:44underlines the desperation of those entering these contests.
12:49One couple and only one will waltz out of here over broken bodies and broken dreams,
12:56carrying the grand prize of 1,500 silver dollars.
13:01Pollock's adaptation of Horace McCoy's novel may be fictional,
13:05but the dire straits of those struggling through the 1930s was very much real.
13:10As a result, many couples likely exerted themselves to the point of exhaustion
13:15during these dance marathons.
13:17Just like Jane Fonda and her co-stars do in the film.
13:33Have you ever been scared to dance, or helped out somebody who was?
13:37Let us know in the comments.
13:48Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from MsMojo.
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